and your route home follows the Mercalli IX zone, it seems best to have a couple things in your bag so you need not rely on foraging/buying on the way.

You play the odds your way, others play their ways.

I'll be the first to admit that I've probably over prepared. Hell, I just had $150 worth of Kerlix bandages delivered today. Added to my existing supply of bandages, I have enough for several blocks worth of victims. But the stuff people have in their GHBs borders on lunacy.

If the purpose of a GHB is to get home, then many people here are simply overloaded. To be honest, I too walked around with food and water until I realized how stupid it was. That stuff is heavy and food and water will not be an issue if you are just trying to walk back home.

The average person walks a little faster than 3 miles per hour. If you're 15 miles from home, that's 5 hours of walking. Even 30 miles away just means a long day of walking. Therefore, you won't need thousands of calories. You won't need to shoot squirrels with your survival rifle. You won't need portable stoves to cook said squirrel. You won't be camping out in people's front yards. You won't be so far from home that you need that solar charger. You won't be in so many gun battles that you need your gun cleaning supplies. I'm just pointing out how wholly unnecessary some of these items are for the vast majority of CA residents.

I'll be the first to admit that I've probably over prepared. Hell, I just had $150 worth of Kerlix bandages delivered today. Added to my existing supply of bandages, I have enough for several blocks worth of victims. But the stuff people have in their GHBs borders on lunacy.

If the purpose of a GHB is to get home, then many people here are simply overloaded. To be honest, I too walked around with food and water until I realized how stupid it was. That stuff is heavy and food and water will not be an issue if you are just trying to walk back home.

This is funny to me. Other things might cause a person to have to walk home other than a happy little earthquake where people are handing out food and water on every corner. What does it hurt to have more than you *may* need?
Worst case I can always leave my bag on the side of the road while I merrily skip along the downhill easy happy path back home.

My pack sits in my trunk and doesn't take up too much space. Better to be prepared I say. To each their own.

At least I'll know who to call if I need a bandage for a blister on my foot

Something like this : http://www.survivalmetrics.com/store...y_survival_kit - 6 x 6 x 2.5 inches, 14 oz, small enough to fit in a cargo pocket if your work allows that kind of casual dress - might work for a with-you-ALL-the-time kit. (It's still a bit of overkill for walking home - not a lot of likelihood one might be fishing or trapping food - and is missing food and an actual water bottle - but wouldn't fit in a pocket if it had those; trade-off.) These days, I kind of expect EDC pocket knives and a flashlight outside emergency kits.

They had this deal where you got free shipping for orders over $150, hence why I ordered so much Kerlix. They also allow you to stack a small discount (usually 5%) for signing up for their newsletter or holidays like the recent President's Day weekend.

Survival vs camping. Big difference.
Try living out of your GHB for a weekend and see how many things will not be needed.
Better still is to actually use GHB to walk home. Just carry the damn thing and then theory will evolve to knowing.
Survival means staying adaptable and inventive. Rolling with the variables. Your brain is the best defense. Think about absolutely have to have stuff that'll help you live another day. You can go days without eating. Just water is needed. Focus on EDC items that'll mesh with your other supplies and think about loosing everything. Can you utilize things at work or wherever that'll help you survive?
Think outside the GHB and plan to have nothing (if lost or destroyed). Can you scrounge some survival items from what's around you every day? Things at work?
Examples:
Use mylar birthday balloons taped together for a blanket?
Garbage bags to carry stuff or as rain poncho?
Woman's restroom has blood stoppers in it?
Shredded paper as kindling or insulating your shirt/jacket?
Hand sanitizer to help start fire or clean wounds?
Ballpoint pen or scissors as improvised weapon?
Packing tape for wound care or taping ankles?
My point is that there is a lot of good stuff in your GHB and lots of wasted redundant heavy stuff that can be improvised when you keep your eyes and mind focused on what is really needed.
Be inventive. Stay warm, Stay dry. Stay mobile. Stay safe. Get home.

__________________
"Find out just what the people will submit to and you have found out the exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them and these will continue until they are resisted with either words or blows, or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress."
-- Frederick Douglass --

“I didn’t know I was a slave until I found out I couldn’t do the things I wanted.”
– Frederick Douglass --

Try living out of your GHB for a weekend and see how many things will not be needed.

I agree 110%.

I'll also add that everyone should get out and use their stuff. When you need it most is not the time to learn how it works or how well it does/doesn't work.

Even taking a day hike with your GHB is a nice way to see if it weighs too much and will be uncomfortable and hold you back. GHBs should be nice and light and not weigh you down.

Also, periodically go through your GHB and see what haven't been used in a while and determine whether or not the weight is justified to keep it. Your bags will constantly evolve for the better that way. For example I don't think I've ever actually used a zip tie out of my GHB but the weight/size/utility comparison is worth it to me to have a couple for whatever random reason may come up.

I actually use the stuff in my GHB very often - more often than I thought I would actually. Things like the gloves, solar panel, flashlight, water bottle (with the filter removed), etc. Often I eat a Cliff bar when I get munchy at work and forget to replace it for a while. So good to keep track of what you have for sure.

edited for spelling failures

__________________
WTB: multiautomatic ghost gun with a .30-caliber clip to disperse with 30 bullets within half a second. Must include shoulder thing that goes up.

I was in Denver during 1997 and we had 3' of snow fall overnight. Shut down the freeways and most roads. I thought I would run down to Safeway and see what was available. The parking lot was full of 4X4's and the shelves were empty. All of that in just a few hours. Don't kid yourself that if something bad happens, that people do not hoard. They understand that if things get worse, you are on your own. Back then, if the power was out, you were on your own for at least a week. People died in their cars because they were stuck in feet of snow just a few miles from town.

That storm taught me to never be unprepared again, and I think this is a great thread that reminds us about getting home and what to have in case the roads are not available. For me, the worst case would be eathquake, bridges out, raining cats and dogs and 100 miles to go.

I was in Denver during 1997 and we had 3' of snow fall overnight. Shut down the freeways and most roads. I thought I would run down to Safeway and see what was available. The parking lot was full of 4X4's and the shelves were empty. All of that in just a few hours. Don't kid yourself that if something bad happens, that people do not hoard. They understand that if things get worse, you are on your own. Back then, if the power was out, you were on your own for at least a week. People died in their cars because they were stuck in feet of snow just a few miles from town.

That storm taught me to never be unprepared again, and I think this is a great thread that reminds us about getting home and what to have in case the roads are not available. For me, the worst case would be eathquake, bridges out, raining cats and dogs and 100 miles to go.

^This^. My philosophy is it's better to have a everything you might need for 3-4 days and make the decision what if anything to leave behind once you know the nature of your situation than it is to come up short if you're trapped in a car or 100 miles from home. No one has ever died from having too much food or water or survival gear in the car but plenty have died from not having enough when they got stuck. If you find yourself a single day from home you can always take the extra food, batteries, chem-lights etc out of your pack and leave them and the extra water in the car but nothing is going to make water magically appear if you break down on a desert road, or food and warmth if you get stuck or snowed in, or general survival supplies if you're a 3-4 day walk from home due to distance, detours, or disaster related social unrest.

That due diligence is especially important if you have kids. You're not going to cover 50 miles a day with small kids, you might cover 10 if the weather cooperates.

__________________
"Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else." --FREDERIC BASTIAT--

Proud Life Member: National Rifle Association and the Second Amendment Foundation.

No one has ever died from having too much food or water or survival gear in the car but plenty have died from not having enough when they got stuck. If you find yourself a single day from home you can always take the extra food, batteries, chem-lights etc out of your pack and leave them and the extra water in the car but nothing is going to make water magically appear if you break down on a desert road, or food and warmth if you get stuck or snowed in, or general survival supplies if you're a 3-4 day walk from home due to distance, detours, or disaster related social unrest.

QFT! Well said.

If some people want to call me crazy becuase I have too much gear in the truck. That's fine by me. I've been called worse.

Better to have and not need than need and not have. <-- This seems to be my philosophy for many things these days.

__________________
WTB: multiautomatic ghost gun with a .30-caliber clip to disperse with 30 bullets within half a second. Must include shoulder thing that goes up.

In addition I have a multi tool, EDC pocket knife, flashlight, and 32oz nalgene water bottle.

I keep all of these either in my backpack or my car. I work about 15 miles away from home, but have carried all of this on regular 10 mile hikes with no problem. I always carry a days worth of water with me (why i got the 32 oz water bottle). I can't imagine a 15 mile get home hike will last any more than a day so I pack to prepare and prevent injury, and sustain for a day (2 days and toughing it out) to cover 15 miles.

I just completed my first Bug Out / Get Home Bag. My plan is to get to my parents house in Nuevo. I work 25 miles from there (Driving) and my home is 2miles (walking) /13miles (driving). I feel I can last at least 3 days with my pack. I work LE, so if im working I also have a Rem. 870 and M&P.45 with extra ammo. I always carry my Bodyguard .380 on my person.

The combined weight of the Pack, The Sleeping bag, and the Ruger bag is 28.3 Lbs. Without the Ruger bag its at 19.6 lbs. I could add more onto the outside of the pack, but I feel the current weight is the limit where I can still be quick on my feet.

why cant your car be used? i mean if say the parking garage collapsed of your car, you are screwed if you keep your GHB in the car.

backed when i worked... sigh... at a pubic university up on a hill in hayward, i made so many plans on driving home. even if the hayward fault, which is less than half a mile from the center of campus broke, using my 4wd which then i had kinda setup as a rock crawler, which means i could go over certain "obstacles."

those who planned on abandoning their vehicles, what scenario were you looking at such that, your vehicle is still in tact and drivable but the roads have collapsed...?

I keep all of these either in my backpack or my car. I work about 15 miles away from home, but have carried all of this on regular 10 mile hikes with no problem. I always carry a days worth of water with me (why i got the 32 oz water bottle).

Have you tried that walk in summer heat?

I ask, because my personal requirement at 100+ is 1 liter per hour doing anything more than sitting in the shade.

why cant your car be used? i mean if say the parking garage collapsed of your car, you are screwed if you keep your GHB in the car.

backed when i worked... sigh... at a pubic university up on a hill in hayward, i made so many plans on driving home. even if the hayward fault, which is less than half a mile from the center of campus broke, using my 4wd which then i had kinda setup as a rock crawler, which means i could go over certain "obstacles."

those who planned on abandoning their vehicles, what scenario were you looking at such that, your vehicle is still in tact and drivable but the roads have collapsed...?

I don't think anyone wants to abandon a vehicle.

However, looking at our east coast friends that have to deal with hurricane evacs, the roads almost always turn to parking lots.
Even around here, a small car wreck or even rush hour on the highway turns them into an unbearable parking lot. We are all expecting the same will be the case for a disaster.

__________________
WTB: multiautomatic ghost gun with a .30-caliber clip to disperse with 30 bullets within half a second. Must include shoulder thing that goes up.

Several years ago, perhaps 17 or 18, we had a terrific windstorm that hit L.A. County. The area around my home was without electricity for 3 days. The local 7-11 had no electricity for about 36 hours until they could bring in a large generator. No electricity meant they were not selling any product for the first 12 hours, then they went on a cash basis, open only during daylight hours until they got the generator online. Imagine this same scenario on a much larger, perhaps most of the state magnitude. What do you think you will be buying in most any store?

You guys have inspired me to develop and build my own GHB. Great ideas all.

The problem with a lot of what people are packing is that they seem to have confused a BOB with a GHB. This isn't some contest to see how much stuff you have on your person. One day, they may come to realize how silly it is to carry a lot of crap that you'll never use if your only goal is to walk home. And yeah, you can have all sorts of stuff with you and discard it along the way, but then you are:

The problem with a lot of what people are packing is that they seem to have confused a BOB with a GHB.

Based on previous posts I can see you feel strongly about this but really aren't contributing anything constructive in this thread. Perhaps you should post up your GHB and BoB pics/lists/weights and let's talk in a constructive manner about it.

In this thread there are lots of little backpacks that weigh around 10# give or take. Sure there's lots of crossover between items in a BoB or GHB, a container, lighter, IFAK, etc is just common sense.
Some people have multiple day trips to get home and/or small children which is an issue if they can't drive for whatever reason.

If someone isn't mobile with a 10# pack, that's a physical limitation issue due to another factor perhaps as simple as being grossly out of shape.

__________________
WTB: multiautomatic ghost gun with a .30-caliber clip to disperse with 30 bullets within half a second. Must include shoulder thing that goes up.

Based on previous posts I can see you feel strongly about this but really aren't contributing anything constructive in this thread. Perhaps you should post up your GHB and BoB pics/lists/weights and let's talk in a constructive manner about it.

In this thread there are lots of little backpacks that weigh around 10# give or take. Sure there's lots of crossover between items in a BoB or GHB, a container, lighter, IFAK, etc is just common sense.
Some people have multiple day trips to get home and/or small children which is an issue if they can't drive for whatever reason.

If someone isn't mobile with a 10# pack, that's a physical limitation issue due to another factor perhaps as simple as being grossly out of shape.

I'll comment here. This is my own personal opinion, YMMV.

For most people, the difference between "getting home" vs. "bugging out" boils down to two factors - destination and duration.

A GHB is intended to get you by for a short period of time where you may not have access to usual infrastructure support or transportation, but you have a known destination (your home) and ideally a short trip between you and home (commonly a few hours or 1-3 days max).

A BOB is when you are leaving wherever it is you start from, and are looking to get to some unknown destination where things are hopefully better or more conducive to your health and welfare. Since you may not know where that place is, you may have no idea how long it will take you to get there... and in fact, you may NEVER get there in the sense that you may have to lead a migratory/nomadic existence for a while.

Because of that crucial distinction, a GHB does not need the depth and comprehensiveness of a BOB. Because it assumes you will have the bulk of what you need at home (to weather an extended situation) it can afford to be light and fast. You won't need a tent or a very involved medical kit. You will not need pots and pans, sleeping bag, etc. With a pack that anticipates you may be on the go over a period ranging from days to weeks or perhaps multiple months, you're not going to be able to get by - or at least, you will have a very rough go of things if you are without a lot of stuff that just wouldn't be justifiable for a GHB in terms of weight and bulk.

Here's an example. Let's say the individual (let's call him Joe) works in a city that is a 90 minute commute from his home (on a good traffic day). For whatever reason, one day while Joe is at work, something happens. This something has two effects - it makes it untenable for Joe to stay in the city, and it denies Joe the use of his usual transport mechanism for getting home. This may be an earthquake, a terrorist action, a grid collapse or other such scenario. A lot of people were in this situation on 9-11 and had to find a means of getting home during a chaotic situation when many of the usual resources (subway) were not operational and others (cab, bus etc) were either shut down or taxed to the limit. So Joe needs to get himself home. This may take him a few hours (if he is able to get somewhere that there is at least partial transportation support) or it may take him a couple of days to make that long hike home. Hopefully, Joe will be able to find a way to get out of the worst of the weather, catching a few hours of nod-off sleep under an overpass or huddled in a doorway, if he is not able to obtain better accommodations. If the weather is good for a few days, Joe will probably be just fine - obviously, the more days he is en route, the odds increase that the weather will turn cold or rainy, making his journey much more unpleasant and possibly life-threatening. For a short trip, dedicated rain gear, tent, saw for firewood, etc can be omitted with a high chance of success. On a longer trip, one would omit these at great personal peril.

Those are just some quick examples and possibly not the best ones - but there is a distinction between a GHB and a BOB. They are not the same... the crucial distinction being that in a GH situation a destination is known where one will be welcomed and support (supplies, food, shelter) will be abundant, and the time needed to reach that destination is reasonably short in duration. Those are not necessarily true of the BO situation, where one will have to carry ALL of what they would foreseeably need for the unknown duration of the event. That translates to, a much larger pack with a much more complete compliment of necessities, IMHO.

Some packs are modular - think MOLLE or similar with detachable pouches, pockets etc... that makes for a pack that can go from BOB to GHB with a simple detaching of a few outer modules containing the gear not needed for a GH scenario. This kind of pack is very versatile and if it is well-thought out (specifically in the packing of BO supplies in the detachable modlules) it can convert very quickly from one purpose to the other. For instance, the outer module would contain the camping water pump/filter, the core module would contain a lightweight "survival straw" which are typically rated good for up to 20 gallons. 20 gallons should be more than enough to get you home even if you have to drink out of a mud puddle from a busted fire hydrant. But twenty gallons isn't CLOSE to enough if you may be on the road for more than a couple of days. The swiss army knife goes in the core module... the Ka-Bar or Gerber goes in the outer module. Multi-tool in the core, hatchet and entrenchment tool in the OM. Trash bag in the core, rain poncho in the OM. Zippered fleece hoodie and extra warm socks in the core, wool blanket or sleeping bag in the OM.

Also I think it's safe to say that in most cases, a GHB anticipates that one will essentially be traveling solo, whereas I think it would be less common for someone to BO solo. For instance, a working husband/father would be coming home from work solo. But if the decision is made to bug out once dad arrives at home, the family will leave together. Mom, Dad and 16 year old Junior will all carry packs with their own personal gear, plus they will have distributed among them the things that make a bug out existence bearable (such as tent, cookware etc) as well as distributing the gear needed for little sis and baby who are too young to carry a heavy pack. So the GHB should contain everything the individual would need, but a very small quantity. While the BOB does not need to be "everything" because others in the group will be carrying some of the shared gear too- for instance, the group of 5 people does not need five camping water pump/filter units - one or two will do just fine.

Based on previous posts I can see you feel strongly about this but really aren't contributing anything constructive in this thread. Perhaps you should post up your GHB and BoB pics/lists/weights and let's talk in a constructive manner about it.

I think Bruss explained a lot of it. I haven't complained about BOB or INCH bags, because who knows what you'll need. But with a GHB, mobility is a key aspect that people here do not seem to pay attention to. IMHO, I've noticed this tendency on prepper forums to have ever, more elaborate bags. It's like guys are comparing the size of their bags with each other and trying to outdo the last guy. I remember seeing one bag with both fresh and salt water fishing gear!

So, I've thought about when I would be caught away from home: I'd either be at work or shopping. If I'm at work, I'll be 20 miles away. If I'm shopping, I'll likely be 10 miles away or less. In either case, food is not necessary. Heaven forbid I arrive home hungry, but 7 hours without food won't kill me. Plus at my work there is plenty of food and if I'm out shopping there's likely a source of food nearby. I feel the same about water, but I do have some more reservations about that.

But as requested, here's the contents of mine:

First I have a pair of running shoes and socks. From where I work or shop to home, it's all asphalt.

In a plastic bag, I have my weather related items, which I can leave behind if it's sunny out.:

I've thought about adding the following because they are lightweight and sound useful, but haven't figured out when I would ever realistically use them:
- box of Strike Anywhere matches
- multi-tool

The Condor Pouch is about 2 pounds and is probably all I'd ever need. Plus, as you can see, there's very little in there that will be affected by heat or time, so i don't have to worry about leaving it in the car for years. Since it's so compact, I won't draw any undue attention to myself like walking around with a loaded hiking backpack through disaster areas. But most importantly, it allows me to be as mobile as possible which will let me get home faster.

Allot of interesting bags. I've just started working on my GHB, here are some of my thoughts. I live 27 miles from work (road miles) in the foothills - most of which are past the edge of town. So a good days walk will get me home. I bring my lunch to work everyday, so if the SHTF in the AM or PM I'll have one good meal to start the trip. Also, my parents house is ~2 miles (or less) from work, so I can get there rather quickly. I can grab a quick bite to eat and if it's late I can spend the night and start the hike in the morning. My plan is to pack as little as possible, mostly water. As with everyone else, plan A is to drive as far as possible.

I think Bruss explained a lot of it. I haven't complained about BOB or INCH bags, because who knows what you'll need. But with a GHB, mobility is a key aspect that people here do not seem to pay attention to. IMHO, I've noticed this tendency on prepper forums to have ever, more elaborate bags. It's like guys are comparing the size of their bags with each other and trying to outdo the last guy. I remember seeing one bag with both fresh and salt water fishing gear!

So, I've thought about when I would be caught away from home: I'd either be at work or shopping. If I'm at work, I'll be 20 miles away. If I'm shopping, I'll likely be 10 miles away or less. In either case, food is not necessary. Heaven forbid I arrive home hungry, but 7 hours without food won't kill me. Plus at my work there is plenty of food and if I'm out shopping there's likely a source of food nearby. I feel the same about water, but I do have some more reservations about that.

I'm happy for you that you're happy with your kit. What you refuse to accept is that your minimalist approach isn't necessarily what's best for everyone and you keep pushing your solution for your individual situation as the perfect one size fits all solution for the world like a TV elevangelist. I'm happy for you that your kit is all you need and I sure hope that you're right and you never need more but those of us that take into account a wider range of possible situations are just going to pack more and you'll just have to accept that.

__________________
"Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else." --FREDERIC BASTIAT--

Proud Life Member: National Rifle Association and the Second Amendment Foundation.

wow, I remember that. no school obviously and I remember my brother trying to get out of the drive way in his 2wd ranger. took over 24hrs for snow plows to get around.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bakersfield_Grizzly

I was in Denver during 1997 and we had 3' of snow fall overnight. Shut down the freeways and most roads. I thought I would run down to Safeway and see what was available. The parking lot was full of 4X4's and the shelves were empty. All of that in just a few hours. Don't kid yourself that if something bad happens, that people do not hoard. They understand that if things get worse, you are on your own. Back then, if the power was out, you were on your own for at least a week. People died in their cars because they were stuck in feet of snow just a few miles from town.

That storm taught me to never be unprepared again, and I think this is a great thread that reminds us about getting home and what to have in case the roads are not available. For me, the worst case would be eathquake, bridges out, raining cats and dogs and 100 miles to go.

wow, I remember that. no school obviously and I remember my brother trying to get out of the drive way in his 2wd ranger. took over 24hrs for snow plows to get around.

Yes it was one heck of a storm, I remember folks from Highlands Ranch taking food to people stranded on I-25 because the snowplows were stuck. Crazy times, but I think we are in for more crazy times. Here I sit 100 miles from home and although the weather is beautiful, it was 37 degrees traveling up this morning. I would hate to be here when the big one hits.

Yes it was one heck of a storm, I remember folks from Highlands Ranch taking food to people stranded on I-25 because the snowplows were stuck. Crazy times, but I think we are in for more crazy times. Here I sit 100 miles from home and although the weather is beautiful, it was 37 degrees traveling up this morning. I would hate to be here when the big one hits.

I still keep it in the back of my mind when traveling far, almost got caught in a blizzard a couple years ago in-between Az-Nm border, weather was slowly coming in and had been driving for 14hrs so I needed to sleep. got a cheap motel off the 40 and slept for 2hrs, woke up at 4am and there was already 7in of snow dropped in a 2hr timeframe. haha I took off so quick that I left my phone.